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Another crackpot theory to bash negative feedback and solid state amplifiers by SET fans

As I recall it (I read much of it) the theory tried to force measured data to fit preconceived prejudice against solid state amplifiers and negateive feedback advocating non feedback low powered SET vacuum tube amplifiers by stating that while these amplifiers have higher distortion, it is characterized by a greater relative distribution of lower harmonic components and therefore much more acceptable and less objectionable to human hearing. In other words, their distortion is higher but more musical. There's a lot of problems with this not the least of which is that many of the amplifiers the paper rails against have harmonic distortion of all components combined so low as to test the limits of measurability of even the most sensitive equipment so that no matter what their spectral distribution, they are for all practical intents and purposes non existant. By contrast, most vacuum tube amplifiers, especially those having impedence matching output transformers have very high harmonic distortion (relatively speaking.) We are talking here about thousandths of a percent versus over 1 percent.

Other contradictory tests in the past have shown that fairly high levels of harmonic distortion are required to be audible. The main factor in the perceived difference between amplifiers and most other audio components is frequency response which IMO must be considered as the equipment is actually installed as opposed to bench testing because the associated connected equipment can alter performance.

This can of course re-open the endless can of worms in the dispute over the relative merits and drawbacks between solid state and tube amplifiers.

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